litRPG authors, how in-depth do you go on your system?

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

(I remember a thread like this but I couldn't find it)
I don't mean on the chapters themselves, I mean on your writing process as a whole.
Do you have a spreadsheet to keep track of stats? Do you know exactly how much these stats provide? Do you have a formula to calculate XP gain and other similar systems? Or do you just estimate and edit the stats as you please?

I understand that litRPG stat systems don't really have to be the same as ones in games to work, but I'm just interested on how y'all approach this.

 

[Lloyd]

I made the stats really easy to understand so I don't need spreadsheets. Also i just kinda wing it on the exp, works better narratively.

 

[LostLibrarian]

For my main series, I only do the minimum which is also the reason I only call it "gamelit" although it technically is a litrpg.

For my side series, I played around a bit with the details and defined rough areas/boundaries. But for both systems, I didn't create detailed systems for stat growth, experience points, or even damage calculation.

There might be a target audience who appreciates the detailed numbers and the "correct calculation" but I think a lot of readers enjoy these stories more like "an idle game". Numbers get bigger and bigger and that makes the reader happier and happier. A lot of the popular litrpg I read have numbers that can be skipped because other than "stronger" they don't say anything really.

So while I appreciate the work some authors put into their stories, I personally think it would be "too much work for little gain" with my stories...

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

For my main series, I only do the minimum which is also the reason I only call it "gamelit" although it technically is a litrpg.

For my side series, I played around a bit with the details and defined rough areas/boundaries. But for both systems, I didn't create detailed systems for stat growth, experience points, or even damage calculation.

There might be a target audience who appreciates the detailed numbers and the "correct calculation" but I think a lot of readers enjoy these stories more like "an idle game". Numbers get bigger and bigger and that makes the reader happier and happier. A lot of the popular litrpg I read have numbers that can be skipped because other than "stronger" they don't say anything really.

So while I appreciate the work some authors put into their stories, I personally think it would be "too much work for little gain" with my stories...

Yeah I get that, rarely anyone complains about XP gain being "wrong" anyways. The best way to go detailed imo is to have the MC or a major character take advantage of it, have them be a theorycrafter or something.

A reason why people like litRPGs is the grind, so I think it'll feel much more rewarding when the readers can read the MC making those spreadsheets to become OP rather than just seeing em slaughtering mobs at an inhuman rate.

 

[TotallyHuman]

(I remember a thread like this but I couldn't find it)
I don't mean on the chapters themselves, I mean on your writing process as a whole.
Do you have a spreadsheet to keep track of stats? Do you know exactly how much these stats provide? Do you have a formula to calculate XP gain and other similar systems? Or do you just estimate and edit the stats as you please?

I understand that litRPG stat systems don't really have to be the same as ones in games to work, but I'm just interested on how y'all approach this.

I just wing it. I mean, I'm not making a game and the numbers are there as an easily-digestible form of showing what who or what can do. No reason to put more effort than that

 

[LostLibrarian]

A reason why people like litRPGs is the grind, so I think it'll feel much more rewarding when the readers can read the MC making those spreadsheets to become OP rather than just seeing em slaughtering mobs at an inhuman rate.

I think there is an audience for everything. Some of the massive CN LitRPGs (or most CN webnovels in general) have no sense of numbers and correlations. They just use "millions" because it sounds fun, then it is "billions" because that is more fun.

Doing "too much theory" can get boring fast, so I think you should pick your battles. Imho skills and special effects (and "gamebreaking" combinations) have a lot more potential than experience points or correct level ups. Using a weak side-effect to get through a bad situation is both unexpecting and fun. Though I honestly also haven't read any story that went into a lot of detail with such stuff. Any good recommendations?

Though of course, that is the writing itself. Doing correct experience points won't hurt as long as it doesn't drown out the story. I just can see myself (and a lot of authors I know) get bored by the confinements and endless menial work. I kinda keep track because my points also double as money, so I need some "points of comparison" so the system doesn't break the story too fast, but that's that...

 

[Cipiteca396]

I do have a tendency to ignore the numbers when I'm reading, and then get pleasantly surprised when a certain number ends up being important. It's always impressive to realize just how much work an author put into their system for it to be accurate.

Of course, I then didn't do that. To me, it's impossible to quantify even just the human body with numbers like 'Strength 18', so adding in things like magic and faith just makes it... Unreasonable. So I don't use stats in my setting, I just use 'stats' as a rough estimate of someone's actual abilities.
Since it's a rough estimate, I can't really put hard numbers on it though, so I feel like it's probably less entertaining than 'Oh, real life is a video game now'.

 

[AKnightWithaKnife]

I have a fucking spreadsheet for a story I haven’t even started. 20 pages worth of stat rules and other things

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

I have a fucking spreadsheet for a story I haven’t even started. 20 pages worth of stat rules and other things

Daaamn, massive respect for you, putting in all that work. I can't even figure out my XP calcs and leveling system.

 

[DarkGodEM]

(I remember a thread like this but I couldn't find it)
I don't mean on the chapters themselves, I mean on your writing process as a whole.
Do you have a spreadsheet to keep track of stats? Do you know exactly how much these stats provide? Do you have a formula to calculate XP gain and other similar systems? Or do you just estimate and edit the stats as you please?

I understand that litRPG stat systems don't really have to be the same as ones in games to work, but I'm just interested on how y'all approach this.

In dungeon, Very. But I try doing it intuitively for the reader, slowly explaining the rules that already exist

 

[Draconite]

I made stats into skill and exp to percentage, so no stat calculation for me

 

[chocomug]

I have a fucking spreadsheet for a story I haven’t even started. 20 pages worth of stat rules and other things

Same, but it was for a game. Not that I know anything about coding, but my brother is a game dev, so he at least could. Just wishful thinking.

Excel is used mainly for balancing and reducing power escalation. I had kinetic energy formula at one point to make sure whatever skill and power doesn't blow up the city. (Granted, anything breaking physics automatically destroys the realm, but thinking about it too much hurts my head.)

Other than that, it's fun for me, even though it has never materialize into writing form. My novels are mainly quest based rather than number based, so it's easier to manage.

 

[AKnightWithaKnife]

I made stats into skill and exp to percentage, so no stat calculation for me

Took the fun part out huh ?

Daaamn, massive respect for you, putting in all that work. I can't even figure out my XP calcs and leveling system.

Here’s a tip base every thing of a number like a multitve of 10 so that the calculation isn’t a bitch

 

[SpiraSpira]

The most important factor is that everything is internally consistent and logical.